


The History of Maeve of the Wildlands

by Rekwin



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Drinking, Gen, Mild Blood, Slight Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25609936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rekwin/pseuds/Rekwin
Summary: This was the history for my DND Barbarian: Maeve of the Wildlands. She was a combination parody of Xena, Wonder Woman and Superman mixed together. She was my first dnd charcter that Ive played long term, for about 5 or 6 years, and I wrote this ridiculously long backstory for her. Thought Id share it if anyone one was interested. This is literally the first work Ive posted here. If Ive formatted or posted incorrectly somehow let me know!





	The History of Maeve of the Wildlands

**Author's Note:**

> Dramatis personæ  
> Maeve.......................................Barbraian Warrior  
> Étain..........................................Psycotic Barbraian (Princess) tribal (adopted) Sister  
> Morrigan...................................Kindly (caretaker/adopted mother) but strong willed fearsome warrior woman  
> The Wizardess Eachna..................................(Evil? Probably...;) ) Wizardess who's obsession with information drives her to collect samples of the world and destroy everything else. Destroyed Maeve's original Village of Littleton  
> Lara and Jonathon of Littleton..(Original parent) Blacksmiths of Littleton village  
> Étain's Father:Conlaoch ...........Chief of the Wildlands  
> Étain's Mother: Ríoghnach .......New Chief of the Wildlands  
> Étain's Uncle: Cormag...............Chief of the Moorland tribe  
> Wildlanders...............................The Wildland Tribe  
> Moorlanders..............................The Moorland Tribe 
> 
> Settings  
> Littleton.....................................Once Thriving Farming village near the Swift river (now ruins)  
> Jungle of 'No Return'.................Dark Wild jungle near Littleton (Know as the Wildlands to the Barbarians)  
> Arach Valley..............................Valley near the jungle. Used for meetings and festivals of the Barbarians. Unusual rocks are spread through out (Dragon Bones. Dead dragons reside there. So that means skeletons and possibly spirits. Dragon graveyard. The Villagers didn't know this and only the most spiritual of the Barbarian tribes would know this. Maeve and Étain didn't. )  
> The Wizardess Eachna's Floating Citadel.......Flies above the land through the use of arcane power. Fluctuates between the Material plane and other realms. Was in the area of Littleton and the Jungle when Maeve was a babe. Now....?  
> The Moorlands........................The Swampy homelands of the Wildlanders sister tribe, many moons away. (So maybe two weeks worth of walking distance? We can adjust)  
> Mountains of Banishment........not their true name. A Mountain range which sits outside of Arach Valley  
> Étain's Cave.............................Where Étain was banished. Is in the mountains. (possible cave system under mountains?)

History of Maeve  
Maeve was born into the tropical village of Littleton to the blacksmith parents Jonathon and Lara. When she was a baby her village was attacked by a local wizardess who became obsessed with her quest for knowledge and decided to take 'samples' from the village before completely destroying it. As the destruction rained down around the village Lara took her child and put her into a wicker bassinet and placed it into the near by river to save her. The river took her to a barbarian tribe in the jungle of 'no return' (as it was known to the villagers . The 'wildlands' as it was known to the barbarians) who took her in after sending some scouts to survey the destruction of Littleton, which they'd seen smoking in the distance.

Maeve grew up without much knowledge of her heritage in her early childhood. She always felt a little behind the other barbarian children in their play at 'war games': pin the arrow on the giant, toss the iron oak trunk, waterfall diving, lassoing boars, and other such barbarian child games. But Maeve never gave up and had a fierce determination in her piercing blue eyes and trained all the harder because of her different heritage from her compatriots.

While everyone in the tribe took care of and teaching all of the children, she was mostly adopted/watched after in the tribe by an older tribeswoman named Morrigan. Morrigan was a kindly but strong willed woman who was a fearsome warrior and one of the tribes leading defenders. She saw potential in the little babe Maeve when she found her at the riverside and fell in love with her almost instantly. Seeing her dark hair and blues (different from the tribes mostly reddish hair and green, brown and gold eyes) as a good omen.

Being the best in the village, she taught Maeve most of what she knows about swordplay, as she did most of the children of the village and also about the Barbarians connection to the world around them. How if they respect it, it will respect and help them. She gave Maeve her code of ethics and how to be honourable but also Maeves love of drink, food and partying from observing Morrigan at the tribes victory celebrations. She was the best replacement mother Maeve could ask for having never known her blacksmith parents. 

Always along side Maeve in her training growing up was her her adopted tribal sister Étain. Étain being a natural barbarian would always show up Maeve in their games as little children (3-7) and even more so as pre-teens and early teens much to Maeve's chagrin. They loved each other and were family as much as the whole tribe was to each other. Étain never let a chance go by though to let Maeve forget she wasn't truly one of the tribe whether through gentle teasing, physical confrontations in their training or simply the fact that she was the next in line to be tribal leader after her father. Always reminding Maeve, on purpose or not, that she....wasn't even excelling let alone special.

This teasing wasn't necessary cruel per say Étain just knew Maeve was different and like all humans was afraid of that. Along with the stresses of being the daughter of the tribes leader and those expectations it was difficult for her to really comprehend what she was doing to Maeve. And so the gentle teasing from Étain continued and the one-sided rivalry from Maeve's side of the friendship continued until their mid-teens. 

Then everything changed. 

Little Maeve who had always been at least a head shorter than Étain shot up and started gaining her tremendous strength. Whether this was due to her blacksmith heritage or the hard living among the barbarians setting in who knows, but Maeve was finally starting to really fit in with her adopted family.

It was during a gathering in a local valley for summer games of skill and bravery with a couple other tribes, that Maeve first shocked everyone when she won the Iron Oak toss and then proceeded to dominate every competition from that point through out the games. Culminating in beating Étain herself in the traditional wrestling match of the different tribes best fighters which was usually dominated by all the heirs of the chiefs and Étain herself over them all.

There was silence across the field after Maeve had picked Étain up and slammed her down knocking her out for a bit the sound reverberating, until there was a roar of raucous cheers from the crowd. Thus started the complete rivalry between the two girls for the rest of their teens (15-19)

Étain was shocked when she woke up and saw Maeve's hand extended to help her up. She was delighted her 'little' friend had come into her own and wasn't bothered all that much that she'd lost.

Maeve and Étain competed in everything from battle, drink, honour, party and love. Each one always challenging the other to rise to greater heights. With her new found size, strength and fortitude Maeve was now winning most of these competitions as opposed to when they were children where Étain beat Maeve constantly. Étain thought this was a good thing for Maeve growing into her own, after all Étain was still truly the best 'true' barbarian anyway. So what if Maeve was now always ahead, it didn't bother her. Seeing Maeve get that boy they'd both moon'd over, didn't matter, beating her in a drinking contest meant nothing. Getting more kills in that battle of the valley wasn't a big deal. Seeing Maeve held up as the tribes new example of a great warrior and her fellow tribeswomen and men speak of the great feats of Maeve and oh they hoped their children would grow up to be like Maeve and seeing the tribes children listen to the stories of proud Morrigan about Maeves glorious deeds. Was. Not. A. Problem. Really. For a time though Étain became to truly forget her teasing of Maeve, her fear of her responsibilities; accepting her as a sister and they were truly happy together.

For a time.

The Spring festival which was held every year to welcome young barbarians into adulthood was being held in Maeve's and Étain's 19th year with them both preparing to become true members of the tribe. This was a big moment for Étain and Maeve. Étain was officially being declared the successor of her father and Maeve the successor of Morrigan, who while she still had a good couple of fighting years in her left had been surpassed by both pupils. Also to be named was the highest honour of 'Battlemaster' which had been traditionally and automatically given to the new successor of the tribal leader. It was to be a great celebration and gathering of the tribe of the Wildlands with its sister tribe of the Moors many moons travel away.

Étain's father had a brother who was the tribal leader of the Moor tribe. Unbeknownst to anyone many years ago he'd framed Étain's father for desecrating a holy site of the Moor tribe and thus Étain's father had been cast out. Being the older brother and better warrior he should've been the next leader of the Moor tribe but this fell to the younger brother. He wandered far away from the moors and established the Wildlands tribe and became a leader again anyway and eventually contacted his old tribe where his younger brother magnanimously found it in his heart to remove his outcast status allowing the tribes to interact.

During the meeting of the two tribes at the Arach Valley before the initial start of the official spring festival there was treachery on the part of Étain's father's brother. He attempted to take out his brother using a small trusted group of his own tribesmen and woman surprising even some of his own people who weren't aware of this plan. There was chaos and a great battle ensued with some of the Moors people siding with the wildlanders against the treachery of their tribal chieftain. Both Maeve and Étain had been brought as part of the welcoming party along with the chiefs other greatest warriors and fought bravely. The younger brother brought his older brother low and was about to land the killing strike when Maeve came to her chiefs defence and won the day by knocking him out with her tremendous strength. The battle was over and the day was won. The wildlanders had survived the treachery of this small group of Moorlanders and took them into custody. The spring festival could start and the explanation to the rest of the confused moorlanders could also.

The chief called Maeve into the main hall tent to speak to her alone. He told her how proud he was of her and all her accomplishments. Not the least of saving his life. He watched her grow into a great warrior and wished to give her the high honour of making her Battlemaster for the tribe. It was unheard of to make someone who wasn't an heir of a chief a Battlemaster and to take it away from his own daughter was unspeakable. Unfortunately just outside the tent watching through the flaps was Étain who had heard her father, HER FATHER, heaping praise on Maeve and taking away her birthright. All of the little victory’s on their own she would’ve been happy for Maeve but all of them together building one on top of each other was too much. This last bit released the feelings of jealousy she'd been harbouring towards Maeve for so long unknown to herself. She stormed off to the holding area her Uncle and men were at. She would not let Maeve take her honour without a fight. 

If she had stayed a second longer the tale of Maeve would've been different but for a second. Maeve responded to her leader that she couldn't be Battlemaster because she didn't feel she was superior to any in the tribe and that this highest of honours should go where it was meant too, to the sister she loved and always was competing against to be a better warrior, Étain. The sister she'd follow into death itself.

The chief told her she was wise and humble and that perhaps the better choice would be to have them both be Battlemaster together which could only make the tribe stronger. Maeve was overjoyed with this and wanted to go tell Étain right away about the great news when they heard noise coming from outside.

Maeve rushed outside and saw Morrigan stumbling towards her bleeding profusely. She keeled over and Maeve caught her as she died in her arms. Maeve looked up and saw Étain standing there, visibly shaking, with a sword covered in blood with her Uncle and his men. She'd gone to free them, figuring in her confusion that her Uncle could help her get back at Maeve for all the imagined slights. Not knowing that Morrigan was the one guarding them, Étain had accidentally struck her while Morrigan had surprised her while freeing them. Maeve looked at Étain eyes and saw that the were wild with jealousy. She'd lost herself to her emotions and wasn't thinking straight combined with the killing of her life long teacher. 

Chaos ensued. 

Having surprise on their side Étain, her Uncle and his men started to slay some of the Wildlanders. Maeve quickly rallied those around her and others still coming into a fighting force. Her chief came and faced off against his brother. The Moorlanders who'd been against and aghast of the attempted coup of their kinsfolk of other tribe joined in defence of the Wildlanders. Maeve was fighting two ex-Moorlanders at the same time but could see her sister Étain fighting three of her fellow Wildlanders across the way getting slowly swallowed by battle rage. Time slowed and Maeve turned her head, time slowed and Étain turned her head, just as Étain's Uncle ran his brother through.

Étain lost it. Everyone in the valley froze as she let out an unholy screech like they had never heard before come from a human mouth.

She'd only wanted her birthright. She wanted her rightful place. She didn't want to kill Morrigan, Maeve, she didn't want to hurt her fellow tribeswomen and men, Maeve did it..., she didn't want her father...dead, Maeve killed them all! She lashed out at her Uncle, her sword flashing with incredible speed slashing him from chin to forehead straight through his eye as he dodged. She attack her ex-tribeswoman and men and her new found battle mates from her uncles men. All the barbarians had seen battle rage before but not like this. She was relentless and unstoppable, fighting through the crowd of warriors to get to Maeve screaming of the treachery of the OUTSIDER, the PRETENDER, the WEAKLING who dared to play at being a warrior. 

Screaming forward blood fury incarnate she swung her sword with wild abandon, Maeve repeatedly just dodging and backpedalling out of reach. Maeve slipped in blood and fell to the ground. Étain leaped forward for the kill, Maeves hand grasped around and found one of the many rocks of the valley (actually dragons teeth and bones) and smashed Étain in the skull. Dazed Étain was then grabbed by her fellow wildlanders as while she had completely focused on Maeve the rest of the battle had quieted down. Étain mother had arrived and taken control of the festival field, a place which should have been a place for joyous celebration was soaked in blood and sorrow.

The rebellious Moorlanders and the uncle got away and went back to their home vowing to come back. The Moorlanders who'd fought on the side of the wildlanders stayed and enlarged their tribe, uniting the two. Étain's mother buried her husband, her friend Morrigan and all the dead from her tribe and resumed her duties as the sole chief. She offered Maeve position of Battlemaster. Maeve turned it down and said she'd heard of many tales from Morrigan's adventuring days and thought she'd try her hand at that. See the world become a great warrior and not that she'd say it, but try to make sense of what happened to her friend her sister. 

After the spring festival she left and started her adventuring and wandering. Fighting for money, love, food and adventure. Always deep in her soul not angry but just sad at how lost her sister became.

And Étain? Étain was banished. Cursed from her tribe as kinsman killer, chief slayer and forever enemy to the wildlanders. Dragged to the mountains and left buried in a cave with just enough food, water and a sword, to allow her some contemplation and as honourable finish as she was now allowed. She should've been executed for her crimes but was allowed this small dignity at Maeves behest.

Étain didn't see the kindness. She'd been the best, her fathers star and the one that the tribe looked up too. 

AND MAEVE TOOK. IT. ALL.

That was ok because...

She would find her again.

Oh yes.


End file.
